New species and new records of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Villa Clara, Cuba

Resumo

The present study is based on the oribatid mite material collected from the Villa Clara Province, Cuba. A list of 17 species, belonging to 11 genera and nine families, is presented; of them, one genus and three species are reported from Cuba for the first time. Two new species – Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n. (Scheloribatidae) and Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n. (Galumnidae) – are described from soil litter with decaying leaves.

Texto integral

This work is part of our faunistic and taxonomic study of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Cuba (e. g. Ermilov et al., 2016, 2023a). The specimens presented in this paper were collected from the Villa Clara Province (located in the central part of the country). The main goals of our paper are: to present a list of all identified oribatid mites, and to describe two new species belonging to Muliercula Coetzer 1968 (Scheloribatidae) and Galumna (Galumna) Heyden 1826 (Galumnidae).

The genus Muliercula was proposed by Coetzer (1968), with Muliercula muliercula Coetzer 1968 as the type species. At present, the genus comprises 13 species, which are distributed in the Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Oriental regions (Subías, 2022, online version 2023; Ermilov et al., 2023a). A revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to the known Muliercula species were provided by Ermilov and Rybalov (2023).

The genus Galumna was proposed by Heyden (1826), with Notaspis alatus Hermann, 1804 as the type species. At present, the nominate subgenus comprises about 190 species, which have a cosmopolitan distribution (Subías, 2022, online version 2023; Ermilov et al., 2023). Revised generic and subgeneric diagnoses, as well as an identification key to the Neotropical Galumna (Galumna) species were provided by Ermilov and Klimov (2017) and Ermilov and Starý (2021), respectively.

Before our research, two Muliercula species and seven Galumna (Galumna) species were recorded from Cuba (Jeleva et al., 1984; Ermilov, Tolstikov, 2015, 2024; Ermilov et al., 2016, 2023, 2023a): M. spora Coetzer 1968; M. curvilineata Ermilov et Kontschán 2023; G. (G.) angularis Jeleva, Scull et Cruz 1984; G. (G.) arrugata Jeleva, Scull et Cruz 1984; G. (G.) australis (Berlese 1914); G. (G.) cubana Jeleva, Scull et Cruz 1984; G. (G.) flabellifera Hammer 1958; G. (G.) gigantea Ermilov, Kolesnikov, Kontschán et Klimov 2023; and G. (G.) lunaris Jeleva, Scull et Cruz 1984.

METHODS

Observation and documentation. For measurement and illustration, specimens were mounted in lactic acid on temporary cavity slides. All measurements are in micrometers (μm). Body length was measured in lateral view, from the tip of the rostrum to the posterior edge of the notogaster. Notogastral width refers to the maximum width in dorsal aspect (behind pteromorphs). Setal lengths were measured perpendicular to their long axes, accounting for curvature. Formulas for leg solenidia are given in square brackets according to the sequence genu-tibia-tarsus. Drawings were made with a camera lucida using an “Olympus CX43RF” transmission light microscope.

T e r m i n o l o g y. Morphological terminology used in this paper mostly follows that used in the papers on Muliercula and Galumna (e. g., Grandjean, 1936, 1956; Ermilov, Rybalov, 2023; Ermilov et al., 2023, 2023a); also, see Norton (1977) for leg setal nomenclature, and Norton and Behan-Pelletier (2009) and Ermilov and Klimov (2017) for overview.

A b b r e v i a t i o n s. Prodorsum: lam = lamella; tlam = translamella; slam = sublamella; Al = sublamellar porose area; tu = tutorium; L = lamellar line; S = sublamellar line; N = prodorsal leg niche; E, T = lateral ridges of body; ro, le, in, bs, ex = rostral, lamellar, interlamellar, bothridial, and exobothridial setae, respectively; Ad = dorsosejugal porose area; D = dorsophragma; P = pleurophragma. Notogaster: c, la, lm, lp, h, p = notogastral setae; Aa, A1, A2, A3 = porose areas; Sa, S1, S2, S3 = saccules; mp = median pore; ia, im, ip, ih, ips = lyrifissures; gla = opisthonotal gland opening. Gnathosoma: a, m, h = subcapitular setae; or = adoral seta; as = axillary saccule. Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b = epimeral setae; z = aperture of supracoxal gland; PdI, PdII = pedotecta I and II, respectively; dis = discidium; cir = circumpedal carina. Anogenital region: g, ag, an, ad = genital, aggenital, anal, and adanal setae, respectively; iad = adanal lyrifissure; Amar = marginal porose area; po = preanal organ. Legs: Tr, Fe, Ge, Ti, Ta = trochanter, femur, genu, tibia, and tarsus, respectively; pa = porose area; ω, σ, φ = solenidia; ɛ = famulus; d, l, v, ev, bv, ft, tc, it, p, u, a, s, pv, pl = setae.

LIST OF IDENTIFIED TAXA

Locality: Cuba, Villa Clara Province, Baños de Elguea, soil litter with decaying leaves in a pasture under a tree (unknown data and collector; collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia). Distribution: mostly from Subías (2022, online version 2023). Ptyctimous mites not included.

Nothridae

Nothrus anauniensis Canestrini et Fanzago 1877: 1 ex. Distribution: Cosmopolitan. New record of the species in Cuba.

Otocepheidae

Pseudotocepheus sexidimorphus (Călugăr et Vasiliu 1977): 5 ex. Distribution: Cuba. R e m a r k s. Our specimens are similar to those from the original description (Vasiliu, Călugăr, 1977) and redescription (Ermilov, 2020), but they have (versus do not have) one additional prodorsal tubercle between medial prodorsal condyles. We believe that there is morphological variability.

Carabodidae

Kalloia simpliseta Mahunka 1985: 15 ex. Distribution: Neotropical, Côte d’Ivoire.

Tectocepheidae

Tectocepheus velatus (Michael 1880): 1 ex. Cosmopolitan.

Mochlozetidae

Mochlozetes penetrabilis Grandjean 1930: 7 ex. Distribution: Tropical, Japan.

Oribatulidae

Spinoppia magniserrata Higgins et Woolley 1966: 1 ex. Distribution: Neotropical. New record of the genus and species in Cuba.

Haplozetidae

Rostrozetes ovulum (Berlese 1908): 1 ex. Distribution: Tropical, Subtropical.

Scheloribatidae

Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n.: 16 ex.

Scheloribates fimbriatus Thor 1930: 13 ex. Distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Scheloribates praeincisus praeincisus (Berlese 1910): 9 ex. Distribution: Tropical, southern Holarctic.

Galumnidae

Galumna (Galumna) flabellifera Hammer 1958: 1 ex. Distribution: Tropical, Subtropical.

Galumna (Galumna) lunaris Jeleva, Scull et Cruz 1984: 2 ex. Distribution: Cuba.

Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n.: 2 ex.

Galumna (Galumna) sp.: 1 ex.

Galumna (Neogalumna) araujoi (Pérez-Íñigo et Baggio 1994): 83 ex. Distribution: Neotropical. New record of the species in Cuba.

Pergalumna brasiliensis (Sellnick 1923): 86 ex. Distribution: Neotropical. New record of the species in Cuba. R e m a r k s. Our specimens are similar to those from the original description (Sellnick, 1923), but they have oval (versus oblong) notogastral porose area A1. We believe that there is morphological variability.

Pergalumna silvatica Hammer 1961: 16 ex. Distribution: Neotropical.

The list includes 17 species belonging to 11 genera and nine families. One genus (Spinoppia) and three species (Nothrus anauniensis, Galumna (Neogalumna) araujoi, Pergalumna brasiliensis) are recorded for the first time from Cuba. Of the 14 species (excluding two new species and one unidentified species), two are registered only in Cuba, four are known from the Neotropical region, eight have a broader distribution (more than one geographical region).

TAXONOMY

Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n.

(Figs 1–2)

Fig. 1. Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n., adult (gnathosoma and legs not shown): a – dorsal view, b – ventral view, c – right lateral view, d – posterior view. Scale bar 200 µm.

Fig. 2. Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n., adult: a – subcapitulum, ventral view; b – leg I, left, paraxial view; c – leg II (without tarsus), right, antiaxial view; d – leg III (without tarsus), left, antiaxial view; e – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bars 50 µm.

T y p e m a t e r i a l. Holotype (♂) and 15 paratypes (9♂♂, 6♀♀): Cuba, Villa Clara Province, Baños de Elguea, soil litter with decaying leaves in a pasture under a tree (unknown data and collector; collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia).

The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; 15 paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Diagnosis of adult. Body length: 555–675. Prodorsum sparsely foveolate; notogaster striate, some striae in anterior notogastral part forming reticulate pattern; epimeral and anogenital regions sparsely lineolate and foveolate. Rostrum protruding, narrowly rounded. Translamella interrupted medially; lateral keel-shaped ridge and prolamella absent. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae setiform, barbed; in > le >˃ro; rostral seta inserted dorsally; bothridial seta clavate, barbed. All setae short, needleform. Epimeral formula: 3–1–3–2. Discidium and circumpedal carina well developed. Heterotridactylous.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f a d u l t. Measurements. Body length: 615 (holotype), 555–630 (male paratypes), 630–675 (female paratypes); body width: 405 (holotype), 405–435 (male paratypes), 465–510 (female paratypes).

Integument. Body color brown. Lateral side of body partially with densely microgranulate cerotegument. Body surface with microgranulate sculpturing (visible under high magnification, ×1000); prodorsum with small, sparse foveolae; notogaster striate but striae in anterior notogastral part forming reticulate pattern; epimeral and anogenital regions sparsely lineolate (short, depressed lines) and with small, sparse foveolae; subcapitular mentum, leg femora I–IV and trochanters III, IV sparsely lineolate.

Prodorsum. Rostrum protruding, narrowly rounded (nearly pointed in two paratypes). Lamella about 1/2 length of prodorsum; translamella linear, interrupted medially; lateral keel-shaped ridge and prolamella absent; tutorium well developed, comparatively short; sublamella poorly visible. Sublamellar porose area (11– 13 × 7) oval. Rostral (64–67), lamellar (112– 127), and interlamellar (161–180) setae setiform, nearly straight, barbed; rostral seta inserted dorsally; exobothridial seta (49–56) setiform, thin, slightly barbed; bothridial seta (90–94) clavate, barbed; length of bothridial stalk approximately equal to head. Dorsosejugal porose area not observed.

Notogaster. Anterior notogastral margin convex medially. Pteromorph broadly rounded laterally. All setae (6) needleform. Four pairs of saccules drop-like. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures distinct.

Gnathosoma. Generally, similar to Muliercula (e. g. Ermilov et al., 2023a). Subcapitulum size: 139– 146 × 112– 116; subcapitular setae (a, m: 22–26; h: 35–37) setiform, slightly barbed; m thinnest; both adoral setae (13–15) setiform, barbed. Palp length: 79– 86; postpalpal seta (6) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera length: 142– 146; setae (cha: 43–45; chb: 28–30) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral region. Epimeral formula: 3–1–3–2; setae (1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 4b: 22–26; 1b, 1c, 3b, 3c: 34–37) setiform, thin, slightly barbed; 4a, 4b thinnest. Discidium and circumpedal carina well developed.

Anogenital region. Genital (17–19), aggenital (17– 19), anal (19–22), and adanal (22–26) setae setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Adanal lyrifissure distinct. Marginal porose area present, complete.

Legs. Heterotridactylous; all claws barbed on dorsal side; both lateral claws with small tooth distoventrally. Dorsoparaxial porose area on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV, ventrodistal porose area on tibia I–IV and proximoventral porose area on tarsi I–IV present. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1– 5–3–4– 20) [1–2–2], II (1–5–2–4–15) [1–1–2], III (2– 3–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Solenidia ω₁ on tarsus I, ω₁ and ω₂ on tarsus II, and σ on genu III thickened, rounded distally; other solenidia setiform or subflagellate.

Table 1. Leg setation and solenidia of adult Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n.

Leg	Tr	Fe	Ge	Ti	Ta
I	v′	d, (l), bv′′, v′′	(l), v′, σ	(l), (v), φ1, φ2	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), v′, (pl), l′′, ɛ, ω1, ω2
II	v′	d, (l), bv′′, v′′	(l), σ	(l), (v), φ	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), ω1, ω2
III	l ′, v′	d, l ′, ev′	l′, σ	l’, (v), φ	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)
IV	v′	d, ev′	d, l′	l’, (v), φ	ft′′, (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)

Notes. Roman letters refer to normal setae, Greek letters refer to solenidia (except ɛ – famulus); single quotation mark (′) designates setae on the anterior and double quotation (′′) setae on the posterior side of a given leg segment; parentheses indicate addition of both members of a pseudosymmetrical pair.

C o m p a r i s o n. Muliercula ornamenta Ermilov sp. n. is similar to M. curvilineata Ermilov and Kontschán 2023 from Cuba (see Ermilov et al., 2023a) in the presence of striate notogaster. However, the new species differs from the latter in the body ornamentation (prodorsum foveolate, anterior part of notogaster with reticulate pattern, ventral plate lineolate and foveolate versus prodorsum not foveolate, anterior part of notogaster not reticulate, ventral plate striate).

Also, M. ornamenta Ermilov sp. n. is similar to Fijibates dlouhyi (Mahunka 1984) from the Neotropical region and India (see Mahunka, 1984) in the presence of striate notogaster, with some striae forming reticulate pattern in anterior part of notogaster. However, the new species differs from F. dlouhyi in the following morphological traits: narrow (versus broad) lamella; absence (versus presence) of prolamella; presence (versus absence) of tutorium; foveolate (versus not foveolate) prodorsum; lineolate and foveolate (versus not lineolate and foveolate) ventral body side.

E t y m o l o g y. The specific epithet ornamenta refers to the presence of striate-reticulate ornamentation on the notogaster in the new species.

Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n.

(Figs 3–4)

Fig. 3. Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n., adult (gnathosoma and legs not shown): a – dorsal view, b – ventral view, c – right lateral view, d – posterior view. Scale bar 100 µm.

Fig. 4. Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n., adult: a – rostrum, anterior view; b – subcapitulum, ventral view; c – leg I (without trochanter), right, antiaxial view; d – leg II (without tarsus and trochanter), right, antiaxial view; e – leg III (without tarsus), left, antiaxial view; f – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bars 50 µm.

T y p e m a t e r i a l. Holotype (♀) and one paratype (♀): Cuba, Villa Clara Province, Baños de Elguea, soil litter with decaying leaves in a pasture under a tree (unknown data and collector; collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia).

The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; one paratype is deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

D i a g n o s i s o f a d u l t. Body length: 525–570. Rostrum concave medially. Lamellar and sublamellar lines divergent; L directed to insertion of rostral seta. Rostral seta long, setiform, slightly barbed; lamellar and interlamellar setae very long, subflagellate, slightly barbed; bothridial seta short, with clavate, broadly rounded distally, barbed head. Dorsosejugal porose area oval. Dorsosejugal suture complete. All notogastral setae represented by microsetae. Four pairs of porose areas rounded; la inserted posteriorly to area Aa. Median pore present, large. Opisthonotal gland located laterally to area A1; lyrifissure im close and anteriorly to area A1. Circumpedal carina short. Epimeral and anogenital setae setiform, roughened. Postanal porose area oval. Leg setae l'' and v' absent on tarsus I; solenidion on tibia IV inserted in anterior part of the segment.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f a d u l t. Measurements. Body length: 525 (holotype), 570 (paratype); body width: 390 (holotype), 375 (paratype).

Integument. Body color light brown. Body surface densely microfoveolate (visible under high magnification, ×1000); pteromorph partially with slight short striae; antiaxial side of leg femora I–IV and trochanters III and IV partially microtuberculate.

Prodorsum. Rostrum with semi-oval indentation (not visible in dorsal view versus clearly visible in dorsoanterior and anterior views). Lamellar line slightly thickened, directed to insertion of rostral seta but slightly not reaching it; sublamellar line thin, curving backwards. Rostral seta (90–94) setiform, slightly barbed; lamellar (154–165) and interlamellar (210–221) setae subflagellate, slightly barbed; bothridial seta (45–49) with short stalk and clavate, broadly rounded distally, barbed head; exobothridial seta represented by alveolus. Dorsosejugal porose area (11 × 7) oval, transversely oriented, located posteriorly to insertion of interlamellar seta. Dorsophragma medium-sized.

Notogaster. Dorsosejugal suture complete, but median part slightly developed. All notogastral setae represented by microsetae (2). Four pairs of porose areas (15–19) rounded, clearly bordered; la inserted posteriorly to area Aa. Median pore present, single, comparatively large (11). Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures distinct; gla located laterally to area A1; im close and anteriorly to area A1.

Gnathosoma. Generally, similar to Galumna (e. g. Ermilov et al., 2023). Size of subcapitulum: 131–139 × 101–105; subcapitular setae (a, h: 26–30; m: 19–22) setiform, slightly barbed; m thinnest; both adoral setae (17–19) setiform, barbed. Length of chelicera: 142–146; cheliceral setae (cha: 60; chb: 37–41) setiform, barbed. Length of palp: 79–82; postpalpal seta (7) spiniform, smooth.

Epimeral region. Anterior margin of ventral plate smooth. Epimeral setal formula: 1–0–1–2. Setae (1a, 3b: 45–49; 4a, 4b: 30–37) setiform, roughened. Circumpedal carina short, directed to insertion of seta 3b but distinctly not reaching it.

Anogenital region. Genital (22–26), aggenital (22–26), anal (41–49), and adanal (30–41) setae setiform, roughened. Anterior edge of genital plate with two setae. Aggenital seta located between genital and anal apertures, closer to the former. Adanal lyrifissure located close and parallel to the anterior part of anal plate. Adanal setae ad₁ and ad₂ posteriorly, ad₃ laterally to anal plate; distance ad₁-ad₂ shorter than ad₂-ad₃. Postanal porose area (30–34 × 19) oval.

Legs. Median and lateral claws slightly differ in size; all claws indistinctly barbed on dorsal side. Porose area on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV well visible; proximoventral porose area on tarsi I–IV and distoventral porose area on tibiae I–IV not observed. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–3–4–18) [1–2– 2], II (1–4–3–4–15) [1–1–2], III (1–2–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 2. Famulus of tarsus I inserted between solenidia ω₁ and ω₂; setae l'' and v' absent on tarsus I; solenidion on tibia IV inserted in anterior part of the segment; solenidia ω₁ and ω₂ on tarsus II and σ on genu III thickened, rounded distally, other solenidia setiform or subflagellate.

Table 2. Leg setation and solenidia of adult Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n.

Leg	Tr	Fe	Ge	Ti	Ta
I	v′	d, (l), bv′′	(l), v′, σ	(l), (v), φ1, φ2	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), (pl), ɛ, ω1, ω2
II	v′	d, (l), bv′′	(l), v′, σ	(l), (v), φ	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), ω1, ω2
III	v′	d, l′, ev′	l′, σ	l’, (v), φ	(ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)
IV	v′	d, ev′	d, l′	l’, (v), φ	ft′′, (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)

Notes. See Table 1 for explanations.

C o m p a r i s o n. Galumna (Galumna) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n. is similar to G. (G.) mystax Pérez-Íñigo et Pérez-Íñigo 1993 from Brazil (see Pérez-Íñigo, Pérez-Íñigo, 1993) in the following morphological traits: very long, subflagellate interlamellar seta; short bothridial seta, with clavate, broadly rounded distally head; complete dorsosejugal suture; four pairs of rounded notogastral porose areas, with Aa inserted nearly pteromorphal hinge; large median pore; position of lyrifissure im (close and anteriorly to porose area A1). However, the new species differs from the latter in the following morphological traits: very long (versus long), subflagellate (versus setiform) lamellar seta; concave (versus rounded) rostrum.

Also, G. (G.) villaclaraensis Ermilov sp. n. is similar to G. (G.) scaber Hammer 1968 from New Zealand (see Hammer, 1968) in the following morphological traits: very long, subflagellate lamellar and interlamellar setae; four pairs of rounded notogastral porose areas, with Aa inserted nearly pteromorphal hinge; complete dorsosejugal suture; position of lyrifissure im (close and anteriorly to porose area A1). However, the new species differs from G. (G.) scaber in the following morphological traits: short (versus long) and clavate (versus lanceolate) bothridial seta; concave (versus rounded) rostrum; direction of lamellar line (to insertion of rostral seta versus to lateral side of prodorsum); presence (versus absence) of median pore.

E t y m o l o g y. The specific epithet villaclaraensis refers to Villa Clara, the province of origin of the new species.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are thankful to Prof. Em. Dania Prieto Trueba (University of Havana, Havana, Cuba) for her long-term cooperation and for providing references. We are also grateful to Dr. Denis V. Sharapov (Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia) for English language editing.

FUNDING

No grants to carry out or direct this particular research were obtained.

ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

This work does not contain any studies involving human and animal subjects.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors of this work declare that they have no conflicts of interest.